Reader says Israel wants peace, even if the Hamas terrorists do not

A response to last week's letter titled "Both sides are at fault in Israeli-Hamas conflict" is necessary.

It was eluded that there was justification for the rocket attacks from Hamas because the people of Gaza are suffering. Besides, the letter writer said, only a few Israelis were killed and only a small portion of that population was forced to live under terror from these attacks. This certainly did not justify any retaliation.

If the people of Gaza would only accept the reality of Israel, they could enjoy a peaceful existence as Israel would have no need to defend itself. The suffering of the Gaza residents is self-inflicted and only they can end it.

Hamas's only reason for existence is to remove Israel from the region. The only political solution acceptable to Hamas is the complete destruction of Israel.

The only political solution acceptable to Israel is to live in peace with its neighbor. There is no room for compromise between these two alternatives. Sanford Teitelman Calabasas